Our Families' Fate
by RogerShanksLuffy
Summary: Wright, Hawthorne, and von Karma. These three families have been intertwined by the thread of fate for longer than Phoenix, Iris, and Franziska think. Learn the story of their London origins, and the story of their descendants. How will Phoenix defeat the most powerful Prosecutor that he's ever met?
1. The Ancestor

**A year or two ago, I watched Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright, and absolutely loved it. This past summer, the original Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy came out as a digital download on 3DS. I decided to get it, and fell in love with the series. I just finished watching Apollo Justice today, and while I admit it wasn't quite as good as Trials and Tribulations, it was probably my second favorite. So, that means that Dual Destinies is next, but I want to play both it and Spirit of Justice, instead of watching walkthroughs like I did for Apollo. In the meantime, I'm going to watch Dai Gyakuten Saiban: Naruhodou Ryuunosuke no Bouken, otherwise known as The Great Ace Attorney. I've only just started it, so I will not contain spoilers or anything about the game. I simply know the characters' names. I am going to make a slight change about Barok van Zieks. I hope you enjoy!**

 _ **Summary: Franziska von Karma is back in town for a short time, and while going through some things at her house, she discovers some items that should really be in Phoenix's possession. She invites him over to show him. Takes place between Apollo Justice and Dual Destinies.**_

Franziska sighed as her driver pulled up to the von Karma estate. She paid him the proper amount of money and he helped her bring her things to the front doorstep.

"Will you be needing anything else, Ms. von Karma?"

"No, thank you. I will be fine by myself now. You may go."

"Understood. Take care." He got back in the car and drove off.

Franziska took a few moments to look at her house in its entirety. It had been 5 years or so since she had been here. She'd been out of the country for a long time. She grabbed her things and went inside.

 **X**

"Hey Daddy, can I ask you something?"

"Yes?" Phoenix asked. They were cleaning up the office, since Phoenix had just recently passed the bar exam, and was officially an attorney once again. Thus, he told Trucy and Apollo to help him clean up the place and redecorate a bit.

"What do you know about your family? Like, your family history?" She asked, picking up a box.

"Hm? Why ask something like that?" She looked down a bit.

"Well, the trial a few months ago got me thinking. My family is pretty much gone, so...I'd like to know more about yours!"

"Umm...hm. Well, I know my family came over to America from Japan in the 1940s or so. I didn't really know my grandparents too well, and my mom and dad were usually busy with their jobs."

"What did they do?"

"My dad was a businessman, and my mom was an attorney."

"Oh! Is that why you became a lawyer too?!" she asked excitedly.

"No, actually. Originally, I went to school as an Art Student, but after a certain case my freshman year…" Phoenix thought about that day. He shook his head. "In any case, something happened, and I was accused of a crime I didn't do." he rubbed his head. "The lawyer that represented me, Mia Fey, got me a complete acquittal, and I was inspired by how passionate she was defending me. I then changed my major to Law, and I ended up working at her Law office, this building, after I graduated."

"This place? What happened to her?"

"You can probably guess…"

"O-Oh...That's why you took over?"

"Yes. Actually, Mia's not gone for good. I mean, she is, but I told you about how my friend and former assistant Maya can channel her spirit, right?"

"Yeah." Phoenix's phone went off.

"Huh?" He looked at it. A text from Franziska? "Since when does she text me of all people?" He read what it said:

 _Phoenix,_

 _I'm back in town for a short while. I'd like you to come by my place later today._

 _I found a few items of interest that I'd like you to have._

 _Yours,_

 _Franziska von Karma._

"She called me Phoenix too…" he mumbled. "I wonder why? Normally she calls me by my first name, or just 'fool.' Oh well. I guess I'll go see what she wants." he shrugged.

"Let me come too, Daddy!" Trucy pleaded.

"I think I should go alone this time. I don't want anything to happen to you two…" he thought about Franziska's habit of whipping people she wasn't fond of.

"I'm off. Clean as much as you can, then you can take a break." He grabbed a coat and went out the door and into his car.

 **X**

Phoenix went up the driveway to the von Karma manor and parked. He walked out and knocked on the door. Franziska answered only moments later.

"Ah, thank you for coming on such short notice."

"Sure, no problem."

"Come in." She opened the door and stretched her arm towards the main foyer. Phoenix walked in.

"So, why call me here all of a sudden? Besides, I heard that you've become quite the prosecutor in Germany. Why come back here?"

"I've been in Germany for quite a while now, and I don't have any cases to deal with at present. So I thought I'd come back here and relax for a short time. How are things with you? I heard about the case 7 years ago, and that it was finally resolved a few months back. Feel nice to have your Attorney's Badge back?"

"Yeah...while I may be good at Poker, and bad at Piano, Defense is my true calling."

"I see. So you're still going to use the same office?"

"Yes. My apprentice and daughter are there redecorating as we speak."

"Daughter? Ah, you mean that young magician girl, Trucy, I believe. So, you finally tied the knot with that sweet girl Iris, did you?" she chuckled.

"Wh-What? N-No, I...She's adopted!"

"I know, I'm just teasing. I watched that trial. Your apprentice, Apollo Justice, is quite a prodigy, like you."

"He's good, but he's still a little rough around the edges."

"I see…"

"Franziska." Phoenix said seriously. "While I enjoy the nice little chat we're having, I'd like to know why you brought me here. And why you're being so nice to me. You used to just whip me whenever you saw me, most of the time without a reason."

"Ah, I did, didn't I…?"

"What is this really about? What are these items of interest you mentioned?" She sighed.

"Follow me." She led him up to the attic. "You see, because I haven't been home in so long, I decided to do a bit of 'spring cleaning' myself. And I discovered something that really should belong to you." Phoenix looked confused. They finally reached the attic, and right out front was a large painting of a man who looked just like him. He wore an old-fashioned Japanese student uniform, maybe 100 years old or so, had a sword strapped to his waist, and wore a cloak around his neck and shoulders that covered his upper body.

"Wh...Who is this?" he asked, looking the painting over again.

"According to some documents I found, this is Ryuunosuke Naruhodou, your Great-Great Grandfather. He was born around 1876, and was a University Student in Japan, but studied abroad in England, and became a Defense Attorney, working alongside Sherlock Holmes."

"COME AGAIN?!"

"Here, it's all in here." She handed him some papers that he looked through.

"My Great Grandfather, Ludwig von Karma, was the one who began a career of Prosecution in our family. His mentor was a famous English prosecutor named Barok van Zieks, who was a rival to your ancestor. While studying under him, Lord van Zieks had my Great-Grandfather right down certain traits about other lawyers he found interesting. Your's being one of them."

"So he was assisted by Sherlock Holmes...Wow...But that means that our ancestors knew each other, maybe even personally, right?"

"It is highly likely. An interesting twist of fate, is it not? That our families would remain rivals after all these years? Even your mother faced my father in court once, though she lost the case."

"Mm...And what about you? It's been awhile since we went head to head with each other, but do you still have this rivalry with my family? Or have you gotten over it?"

"You can take that painting with you. I have a few other things to show you. Come." Phoenix carried the portrait downstairs carefully and she helped him put it in his car. They went back inside, and into the library. In the center of the room was a large desk, and on the wall behind it, two large portraits.

"Those are them. Barok van Zieks on the left, and Ludwig von Karma on the right." He looked a lot like Manfred, but maybe more dignified, and not as evil looking. Barok was handsome and distinguished, but he looked a lot like he could be a vampire if such things existed.

"Barok was known as the Courtroom's 'God of Death' because every person he prosecuted, whether they were found guilty or not, ended up dying later some way or another.

"Quite the man to learn Prosecution from, no?" Phoenix sweatdropped. Franziska laughed.

"Yes. I wonder sometimes how things might be different if we had learned from someone else. Look, Phoenix. If you recall our first trial together, you may remember that I stated I held no ill feelings about my father and was not facing against you because of revenge for what happened to him. I told myself that it was because if I could defeat an attorney that Miles Edgeworth could not, I would finally have caught up with him. Alas, that dream did not come true. But now that I look back on it, it might have been because of this rivalry and that I wanted to defeat your family once and for all."

"I see...And do you still feel that way?"

"...No. We may not be on the best of terms at all times, but I think we get along well enough that we can put this silly 100-year old conflict aside and agree to be friends, for the rest of our days. What do you say, Phoenix Wright?"

"I say it sounds like a deal, Franziska von Karma." They shook on it.

"With that, I have one last thing to give you." She walked over to one of the display cases and carefully took out a white katana wrapped in red cloth. She walked over and presented it to him.

"Is this…?"

"Ryuunosuke Naruhodou's sword. Please accept it." Phoenix took the sword from her and they went out and put it next to the painting.

"I do not know why these items were here, but as you know well, my family's choices over the years have been...less than generous. Mine included…" she looked down.

"Hey, it's okay. Because you broke the cycle and decided to give them back to its rightful owner. Thank you, Franziska." She smiled.

"Come by the office sometime, and see everyone. I'm sure they'd love to meet you."

"Thank you, I will. I'll talk to you later, I suppose." She stretched her hand out for a handshake but instead she got a hug, which she was not expecting. It made her blush.

"See you later." He waved, as he got in his car and left.

"...Phoenix Wright...What an interesting man."

 **X**

"Oh, there you are, Daddy!" Trucy ran out and hugged her father.

"How did everything go?" Apollo asked.

"Good. It was nice to see her again after a while. She gave me a few things." Phoenix took out the sword.

"Trucy, can you take this in?"

"A s-sword?!"

"It was my ancestor's, so be careful with it."

"Um...okay." She carried it in.

"Apollo, help me with this painting." He did as he was told, and they hung both items up on the wall behind Phoenix's desk.

"So who's that?" Trucy asked.

"Ryuunosuke Naruhodou. My Great-Great Grandfather. He was a defense attorney in Japan and England who helped Sherlock Holmes."

"Law runs in your blood, then." Apollo smiled.

"I suppose it does."

"Daddy, can we go to England?"

"Already been there, Trucy."

"Can you take me with you?"

"Well, I suppose. It would be nice to see Espella and her friends again."

"Who's Espella?" she asked.

"Ah, that's a long story for another time. But sure, I'll take you."

"Daddy, is Franziska gonna be my new mommy?"

"WH-WHAT?! NO!" Trucy giggled.

 **End.**


	2. Ethan Hawthorne

**I've now had this idea for a short while, and I'm going to add it onto this story instead of making it a sequel. Bear with me as I try to write cases, as it's my first time writing a script of a court case. I will take any suggestions on how to improve it if you guys want to help out. Enjoy!**

Phoenix finished up his paperwork for a case he just won. He sighed, glancing behind him at the painting of his Great-Great Grandfather.

"I wonder how different things were back then? Proving things without fingerprints, or color photographs, or recordings."

"Mr. Wright, we have a visitor." Apollo said from over at his own desk.

"Can you get it? Trucy's over at the Wonder Bar."

"Yeah." He stood up and opened the door. A young woman stood there, with long light brown hair, wearing a purple business suit, magatama necklace, and blue trench coat over it.

"Yes? Can I help you?"

"Yes, this is the Wright Anything Agency, correct?"

"Y-Yeah. Are you a client? I'm afraid if you want to hire us, we're closed right now-"

"No, no, I'm just here to visit."

"Visit? Um, okay…"

'I know that voice…'

"Iris?!" Phoenix said startled and somewhat questioning.

"Feenie!" She walked in and hurried towards him, throwing her arms around him.

"What are you doing here?" he laughed. "I thought your sentence doesn't end for another few weeks?"

"I got let out early, about a year ago now."

"What? And you didn't tell me sooner?"

"I've been busy, out of country actually. My brother paid my bail, and I went back with him to England, working as his assistant for the past year. We only just came back yesterday."

"I didn't know you had a brother…?"

"Well, you remember that I'm adopted, right?"

"Yeah."

"Besides, Valerie, I also have an older step-brother, named Ethan. As a matter of fact, he's in law as well. He has both a Prosecutor's and Attorney's Badge."

"That's even stranger why I haven't heard of him."

"Well, it's not all that strange, actually. In his final years of school, he studied abroad in London, and when he graduated, he decided to stay there. But even so, I'm still somewhat surprised you haven't heard anything about him...He is the most powerful lawyer in England, after all. He's pretty well known here as well."

"Hmm…"

"You might be facing him sooner than you think. Now that he's back in America, he'll be taking cases around here. So be prepared if you end up facing off against him. He's not your typical Prosecutor."

"I'm sure I'll be okay, Iris."

"Heehee...we'll see. Nice painting." she admired, looking up at the wall.

"Oh, thanks. It's my-"

"I know who it is. Ryunosuke Naruhodo." she smiled.

"Y-Yeah...How did you…?"

"Don't worry about it for now, Feenie. Now then, I should be going. It's getting late, and I'm pretty tired. My brother is expecting me at his house. Stop by whenever you feel like it." She wrote down the address on a piece of paper.

"Good night." she kissed his cheek before walking out. Phoenix walked over to the window, watching her get into presumably her brother's car and drive away. He sighed and walked back over to his desk, sitting down.

"It's good to know she's doing well." he grinned.

"That was her? Iris Hawthorne, the one you mentioned."

"Yes. We used to date in college. I never dated anyone else either before or since."

"Must be true love."

"Yeah...And maybe we can rekindle those flames...but not right now. Besides, she says she's been a Legal Assistant in the UK anyways." Just then, the door opened.

"Hey guys, I'm back." Trucy smiled. "What'd I miss?"

"Iris." Apollo said, writing something down.

"What?! Mommy?!" She ran to the window.

"Trucy, we've been over this." Phoenix sighed.

"Daddy, she's the most likely candidate to be my mommy. And she's also the prettiest, and the nicest. I think you should just hurry up and propose to her already." she giggled. Phoenix just shook his head.

 **X**

Iris closed the door behind her as she hung her coat on a hanger. She left her shoes in the closet as she walked through the halls of her brother's luxurious house. He took on both Prosecution and Defense Requests, so he certainly had money to spare, but he didn't burn through it as if he wanted to show off. He simply bought the necessities. But he did treat himself occasionally, like buying this nice home, and also the grand piano in the living room, which he often practiced on. He minored in music.

"Iris, is that you?"

"Yes, I'm back!"

"Ah. Welcome back." She walked into the living room where he was sitting on the couch, flipping through the TV channels. Ethan Hawthorne was a tall man, about 6'3, had medium length dark brown hair, and gray-green eyes.

"How was that? Did you get to see your precious 'Feenie'?" he teased. She blushed.

"It wasn't like that! Well, okay it was, but...it was a short visit. I just stopped in to say a quick 'hi.' I told him if he wanted to chat some more, he can come by the house. I left him our address."

"Ah. Good idea. It might be worthwhile to meet him before I face him in court. To see what he's like. If he's worthy to use that power of ours…" They stood up and walked into the main foyer, looking at the four large paintings lined up: Ryunosuke Naruhodo, Jacob Hawthorne, Ludwig von Karma, and Barok van Zieks.

"I wonder just how much you can handle, Phoenix Wright?" his eyes flashed red for a brief moment.

 **End.**

 **Short chapter, meant as an introduction to this new take on the story. Hope you enjoyed it.**


	3. The Murder Case

**Songs**

 **Visiting Anna: Police Cell-Elegy of the Captured (Trials and Tribulations OST)**

 **Ethan's Entrance: Barok van Zieks Theme (Dai Gyakuten Saiban OST)**

 **Cross-Examination: Reminiscence-Wandering Heart (Dual Destinies OST)**

 **Framing: Thrill Theme-Suspense (Apollo Justice OST)**

 **Premeditated Murder: Cornered (Trials and Tribulations OST)**

 **Three Possibilities: Logic and Trick (Dai Gyakuten Saiban OST)**

 **Closing Argument and Defeat: Recollection-Forgotten Legend (Apollo Justice OST)**

"Daddy!"

"Yes?" Phoenix said sleepily, rubbing his eyes.

"I met someone down at the Wonder Bar last night. They said they were interested in hiring you as their defense attorney."

"Sure." A few hours later, there was a knock at the door. A young man walked in, and sat down across from Phoenix.

"Hello. I assume you're the client my daughter mentioned?"

"Yes, Fred Lyman. Nice to meet you."

"Likewise. So, what's the case you want me to help out with?"

"Actually, it's murder. Here." He handed him a case summary.

'Why am I always stuck with the murder cases…?'

 _Victim: Louis Gramarica_

 _Date of Death: April 6th_

 _Cause of Death: Stabbed to death by Knife_

 _Time of Death: Approximately 9:30 P.M._

 _Suspect: Anna Lyman_

 _Prosecutor: Franziska von Karma_

"Franziska's taking this case? Oh boy…"

"Yes. The suspect is my younger sister, who I know is innocent."

"I see. Yes, I'll go down to the Detention Center with you."

"A-Actually, they won't let me in anymore. When they first took her away, I fought against a few cops, telling them to leave her alone. So, they're selective about who gets to visit her."

"Oh. It's fine, though. Trucy, want to come with?"

"Sure!" The three of them walked outside, before Fred left. Phoenix and Trucy left for the Detention Center.

 **X**

 **Detention Center: Visitor's Room**

 **April 8, 12:30 P.M.**

"So, you're Anna Lyman?" Phoenix asked. A young girl, maybe Trucy's age, 16, sat behind the glass. She had long brown hair and blue eyes.

"Yes, I'm Anna. And you're Phoenix Wright, right?"

"Yes. Do you mind telling me what happened? I'm afraid I haven't been handed any details about the case yet."

"Yes...two nights ago, I was walking home with my boyfriend, Louis Gramarica."

"The victim was your boyfriend?! I'm sorry…"

"Thanks...we were walking home together after going out to the Wonder Bar. We took a shortcut by passing through an alleyway, and halfway through, someone grabbed Louis and dragged him into the darkness. Whoever it was assaulted him before I heard a knife stab him three times. Then they ran away. I walked over to find Louis dead. A few minutes later, my brother, Freddy, came running to me, asking if I was alright."

"Why was he there? He just happened to run up to you?"

"He happened to be nearby, meeting a friend. We both left home together that night, before going our separate ways to meet up with my boyfriend and his friend."

"I see...Do you happen to know the name of this friend?"

"Yes. It's Jake. Jake Thompson. He doesn't live far from here."

"Thank you. I'll be back shortly. But answer me this. Did you do it?" For the first time, his client looked him straight in the eyes confidently and said no.

"Then will you let me defend you?"

"Yes, please do. I want this man brought to justice."

"Understood."

 **X**

 **Jake Thompson's House**

 **April 8, 1 P.M.**

"So you're Jake Thompson?"

"Yes. Can I help you?"

"I'm Phoenix Wright, the defense attorney for the case regarding your friend's younger sister."

"Ah, that one. Yeah."

"Can you tell me what happened two nights ago? I'm not entirely sure how much you know about it, but right now, anything helps."

"Sure. About a week ago, Freddy and I made plans to meet up. And two nights ago, we did."

"Anything particular to meet about?"

"No. We simply hadn't seen each other in a while, and wanted to hang out."

"Okay. Continue."

"Right. We met for dinner with a few other friends. When we were finished, they left, and hung around with Freddy, walking down a few streets, just exploring. I believe it was about 9:20 at that time. At that point, we heard a scream, and what sounded like a fight. We hurried towards the scene, but when we got there, the fight was already over. Anna was there, crying and holding a bloody knife, while her boyfriend, Louis, was nothing more than a bloody corpse. I went ahead and called the cops. They got there pretty quickly, maybe 10 minutes later, and arrested Anna as the prime suspect. Freddy tried to convince them otherwise, and became rather forceful, leading them to restrain him, and prohibit him from visiting his sister at the Detention Center. And I'm afraid that's all I know."

"Hm. Thank you for the information. I may be back later."

"Alright." Phoenix left. There were a few things that Jake said that didn't match up with what Anna told him. He wanted to question Fred first though, as he had the feeling she didn't lie.

 **X**

 **Lyman House**

 **April 8th, 3 P.M.**

"Oh, you're back." he said, sounding almost annoyed. Phoenix's eyes narrowed.

"Yeah. I had a talk with your friend Jake, and I realized I have yet to hear your side of the story. So why don't you tell me what happened?"

"...Alright. A few of my friends and I met up that night."

"How many friends?"

"Is that really important?"

"Perhaps not to a different attorney, but it is to me. I leave no stone unturned."

"...Five, including myself. Jake was one of them. We met for dinner, then went our separate ways when we finished. I was walking home, when I heard a scream. It sounded like my sister, so I rushed to where it was."

"You knew your sister was out that night?"

"Yes. We left home together before going off on our own. Anyways, when I heard the scream, I rushed to the scene, but when I got there, Louis was already dead, and my sister was holding the knife that killed him."

"I see. Thank you."

"I'll be testifying in court tomorrow, just so you know."

"Ah, so Franziska asked you to testify for her?"

"Franziska? Oh, no. Not anymore."

"What do you mean?"

"Go ask the detective." Phoenix stared at him for a few moments before leaving and heading towards the crime scene.

'His recollection is completely different from Jake's. For starters, he claimed that he was alone when he heard the scream, but Jake said he was with him. He also didn't mention Anna's mental state, which Jake made it clear that she was crying and stunned. It seemed strange, that's usually something her brother would make note of before his friend that she didn't know too well. There's something this guy's not telling me. One of them is lying…'

 **X**

 **Scramidor Alley**

 **April 8, 4 P.M.**

"This must be it. There's police down this whole street. Phoenix walked towards the blocked off area. He saw Ema nearby.

"Oh, there you are." she turned around and looked at him.

"Hey, Ema. You're in charge of this case, then?"

"Yeah. And of course you're the Defense, I take it?"

"You got it." he smiled sheepishly.

"Oh. Your Case Summary might be a little outdated. Here." she handed him a new one. "Not much has changed, just the time of death and the prosecutor."

"What happened to Franziska?"

"Something came up, and she had to pass the case off to someone else. She didn't explain it very thoroughly, she wanted to keep it to herself." Phoenix looked at the new summary he was handed.

 _Victim: Louis Gramarica_

 _Date of Death: April 6th_

 _Cause of Death: Stabbed to death by Knife. Was assaulted before being stabbed 3 times._

 _Time of Death: 9:20 P.M._

 _Suspect: Anna Lyman_

 _Prosecutor: Ethan Hawthorne._

"That must be him, then. Iris' superstar brother?"

"That's him. Prosecutor and Defense Attorney Ethan Hawthorne. He decided to take this case."

"I guess I can finally see what he's made of."

"Look, Mr. Wright. I'm no stranger to your prowess. I've seen you work miracles multiple times. But trust me when I say that there's no way you can defeat him in court. He's far stronger and far more experienced than Klavier or Mr. Edgeworth."

"What's his track record?"

"Undefeated for 20 years. Actually, he just won his 100th case in a row back in England before coming over here. And before you say it, he got this far by skill and deduction, not by false evidence and manipulation like Manfred von Karma."

"Sounds like an interesting opponent. Mind if I look around for anything."

"Sure, help yourself. But there wasn't much to find. The only thing we really found was the knife the culprit wielded and the suspect herself."

"I'll be the judge of that." Phoenix scanned the area, but she was right. The scene was pretty small, so there wasn't much blocked off, and there wasn't anything obvious lying around. There was a small piece of paper folded up though. He bent over and picked it up, unfolding it and reading it.

 _You know what to do. Tonight at 9:20, take care of it._

 _Don't forget what will happen if you don't._

 _-J.T._

"Interesting." Phoenix slipped it into his pocket, and left.

"Find anything." Ema asked.

"No. Nothing. Thanks, though." He walked off, heading back towards the Detention Center to see Anna one last time.

 **X**

 **Detention Center: Visitor's Room**

 **April 8th, 5 P.M.**

"Anna, I wanted to ask you a few things."

"O-Okay…"

"First off, it's important that I know if your brother arrived with Jake or not."

"...I'm afraid I don't know for sure."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm sorry, but when I saw the Louis' body, I was pretty out of it. I know my brother was there because he talked to me, but I can't remember clearly if Jake was there or not."

"Okay. Also, how well do you know Jake?"

"Not very. I mean I've seen my brother with him a few times, but we've never really spent any time together."

'Interesting.'

"Okay, last question: does this mean anything to you?" He showed her the piece of paper.

"Mmm….sorry, no. Was it found at that alley?"

"Yes. I haven't found out what it means yet myself. But I plan to tomorrow in court."

"Okay. Good luck. I'll see you tomorrow."

 **X**

 **Courthouse, Defendant Lobby #2**

 **April 9th, 11 A.M.**

"Good morning, Anna."

"O-Oh, good morning Mr. Wright…" she smiled weakly.

"Are you doing okay?"

"Y-Yes. A little better than yesterday, but still shaken up."

"I can't blame you."

"Are you prepared?"

"Yes, I've done about as much as I can. I took the liberty of revisiting Jake yesterday. Nothing changed, he said he told me everything already. But he did right it down as testimony." He held up a small envelope.

"Defense, it's time to go!" The bailiff called out.

"Alright. I'll see you later."

 **X**

The Judge took his seat as Phoenix and Trucy took their places. Apollo was back at the office, even though he wanted to come. Then the door opened and in walked the famous prosecutor himself, followed closely by Iris.

Ethan wore a white shirt, red vest, and black suit and pants, with a white cravat around his neck, similar to Edgeworth's attire. He also wore a brown overcoat over his suit. Iris wore a similar outfit to last night's: a blue suit and skirt, high heels, and a purple coat. Her hair wasn't braided on top anymore, she simply left it straight and long.

"Are the Prosecution and Defense ready?" the judge asked.

"The Defense is ready, Your Honor."

"The Prosecution is also ready."

"Very well. Prosecutor Hawthorne, would you like to give your opening statement and summarize the case for us?"

"Gladly." He stepped forward.

"Three nights ago now, on April 6th, at about 9:20 P.M., the Defendant, Anna Lyman, and the Victim, her boyfriend Louis Gramarica, were walking home. They decided to take a shortcut through Scramidor Alley. However, about halfway through, she suddenly attacked him, beating him up, and then stabbing him with a knife three times. He died from those three knife stabs. One in the back, one in the neck, and one in the head. Those would be from this knife." He held up a knife that was sealed in an evidence bag. He went and placed it onto the evidence table.

"I see. Seems like an open and shut case, if you ask me." the Judge said. "But, what about the motive? What motive would this young girl have for killing her lover like that?"

"Yes, about that. Apparently, her boyfriend wasn't the nicest of people, and was somewhat abusive. She tried to break up with him a few times, but he would not let her. I think that's a good start, Your Honor. The Prosecution calls the defendant's brother, Fred Lyman."

'Abusive? She never told me that.' Phoenix looked over at Anna, who was looking down sadly.

"Witness, please state your name and occupation for the court."

"Fred Lyman, brother to the defendant. I work for a construction company."

"Please testify to the court about the night of the murder."

"You got it."

 **Witness Testimony**

" **That night, I met up with four of my friends."**

" **We went to get dinner and have fun."**

" **Afterwards, we went our separate ways."**

" **As I was walking home, I heard a scream coming from a nearby alley."**

" **So I ran to help. But when I got there, Louis was already dead."**

" **My sister was holding the bloody knife. I went and called the cops."**

" **When they got there, they arrested her. I tried to stop them, but I couldn't."**

"Again, seems like an open-and-shut case to me." the Judge said. "But very well. Mr. Wright, your Cross-Examination."

"Right. Mr. Lyman, I wanted to ask you about after you left the restaurant."

"What about it?"

"Yesterday, I met with one of the friends that you were with. His name was Jake Thompson."

"Yeah, what about him?

"I have here his recollection of the events." He presented the envelope to the court.

"He clearly stated that when you left the restaurant, he stayed with you, even showing up to the scene of the crime with you."

"Oh, he did, did he?"

"Yes. And I want to know which of you is lying."

"What difference does it make whether or not someone was with me?!"

"It makes a huge difference!" Ethan slammed his hand on the desk, startling both Phoenix and Fred.

"M-Mr. Hawthorne?" the Judge asked.

"Yes, Your Honor. I'd like to explain this as well." he walked up to the evidence table and took Jake's testimony. He looked over it for a second.

"That's not the only thing that's suspicious. In your testimony, you stated that you were the one who called the cops. But according to this, he was the one." He handed it back to Phoenix and took his place back at the Prosecutor's side.

"Mr. Hawthorne...you just helped prove the Defense's case. Are you feeling okay?" the Judge asked. Phoenix was also interested in his answer.

"Your Honor, I'm here to discover the truth behind this case. I am also a Defense Attorney. I simply want to see justice done, and to not convict the wrong criminal."

"Ah, I see! How noble. Very well, Mr. Wright. Continue."

"Yes, Your Honor."

'I don't know what Ema and Iris were worried about, this guy may actually help me out! Makes a nice change of pace.'

"Yes. My last point may be less significant than the previous two, but I believe it is still noteworthy. Mr. Lyman, in your testimony, you stated that your sister was holding the knife by the time you got there. But you made no mention of how she was feeling."

"How she was feeling?" he asked.

"Yes. Your friend Jake also mentioned that she was very shaken up and was crying. So much so that she claims she didn't notice that he was there, she only focused on you and the victim."

"Yeah, she was like that. That's why I was desperate to help her."

"Well, that's all well and good, but...don't you find it a bit strange, Your Honor?"

"Whatever do you mean, Mr. Wright? If I was in her place, I would be pretty upset too."

"As would I. But that's not what's strange about it. What's strange is that Jake Thompson, her brother's friend who she doesn't even know very well, made mention of her mental state, while her own brother never talked about it."

"Gh…" Fred stepped back.

"Oh! Now that you mention it, that is peculiar."

"Yes, I noticed that as well." Ethan said. "Your Honor, I'd like to ask the witness to testify about what happened when he got to the scene."

"Understood. Witness."

 **Witness Testimony**

" **Now that I think about it, Jake was with me."**

" **I probably forgot because we didn't really say much after leaving the restaurant."**

" **When we got to the scene, he went and called the cops on his own initiative, without me telling him to."**

" **I stayed by Anna's side, and when the cops showed up, they arrested her."**

"Alright. Short and to the point. But it seems like not much has changed. In any case, your cross-examination, Mr. Wright."

"So you're saying that when the two of you left, you didn't say much to each other. Again, that seems odd, considering that you were close friends."

"Objection! Mr. Wright, that has no bearing on this case. Whether they were talkative or not does not matter. What does matter is simply that he was with his friend that night."

"Ugh...fine."

'I don't think I'll be able to change his opinion on this one. I'll try a different statement.'

"Alright, enough about that one. So Jake went and called the police on his own, did he?"

"Yeah. He didn't even tell me, so I didn't know he left in the first place. They just showed up about 5 minutes later."

"And why is it that he didn't tell you?"

"Objection! It goes without saying that he would contact the police on principle! It's not a requirement to tell someone you're going to call the cops!"

"Objection! I think there's a very good reason for it!"

"...Alright. And what is this reason?"

"What if he tried to frame him?"

"Frame him…?"

"Yes. What if Jake went and called the cops without telling Fred because he intended for them to take him away instead of Anna?"

"An interesting theory. But I would like proof of this, if you could."

"Very well. Jake figured that Fred would be framed for the murder, considering that he's older, stronger, and more capable of committing a murder. However, Anna refused to let go of the knife, being in shock. So when the police showed up, that's why they arrested her, because she was the one holding the knife." He looked at the prosecutor.

"Are you waiting for me to say something? I know about this already."

"H-Huh?"

"We've already done a fingerprint analysis. Both the defendant's and witness' fingerprints were found on the handle. Considering the story so far, I would imagine that the witness tried to wrestle the knife out of the defendant's hands, though he was unsuccessful."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. I told you that I want proof that Mr. Thompson tried to frame Mr. Lyman. If you cannot do that, then this will be considered baseless conjecture, just like the majority of your reasoning." Phoenix fell over.

"Geez, that was a little harsh, don't you think?" Iris sweatdropped, whispering to him.

"Alright, here's your proof." he stood up again, holding the piece of paper.

"What does it say?"

"You know what to do. Tonight at 9:20, take care of it. Don't forget what will happen if you don't. J.T."

"J.T.?"

"Yes, any idea who that might be?"

"Jake Thompson…"

"Right. I found this at the scene of the crime. This note states the time of death exactly, and is signed probably by Jake Thompson. This was a premeditated murder!"

"Wh-Whaaaaaaaat?!" the Judge yelled.

"Objection! And just who did this paper belong to?!" Ethan yelled.

"Well obviously, Fred Lyman!" Phoenix yelled, pointing accusingly at the witness. "Because this was found at the scene of the crime, there's only four people that it could possibly belong to. Obviously, it couldn't be Louis as he was the victim, and it also couldn't be Jake because he wouldn't write something like this to himself, it would be pointless. That leaves only Anna and Fred, and because Anna has claimed that she didn't know Jake very well at all, it could only be Fred."

"...Heh heh…"

"...?"

"Perhaps you need more practice before you start defending again. I have a feeling that these past 7 years have been unkind to your skills as a lawyer."

"What are you talking about?"

"You've proven three possibilities. I can at least agree with you that it couldn't belong to Jake Thompson himself. However, it could very well belong to the other three. First, Louis Gramarica. Perhaps he was the one that was supposed to murder Anna, but did not, and was promptly taken out. In this scenario, Jake Thompson would be the murderer. The second scenario would be that this belonged to Fred, as you said, who was ordered to kill Louis. In this case, he would be the murderer."

"And the third?" Phoenix asked cautiously.

"Before I get to that, I would like to prove why the first two are improbable. Let's think about scenario #1, shall we? If Louis was the owner of this paper, why would he kill Anna? He might have been abusive, but he was still in a relationship with her, and I don't think he would kill her just like that. In this case, Jake would know for a fact that he wouldn't carry it out, so why bother asking? He would just kill Louis himself. Now for scenario #2. This one is quite simple. Fred Lyman may have forgotten to mention a few things in his testimony, but one thing was made very clear. He cares very much about his little sister. When the police arrived, he even tried to fight them to stop them from arresting Anna. Answer me why on earth would he kill his sister's boyfriend?"

"W-Well, that's…"

"Therefore, we arrive at scenario 3. This paper belongs to Anna, and she was to kill Louis by Jake Thompson's order."

"But she's already stated that she did not know him!"

"And what makes you so sure? I noticed earlier that you were rather surprised to learn that Louis was somewhat abusive. Did she keep that fact from you? Then who's to say she didn't lie about something else? Say, what if she actually knew Jake Thompson, and was simply feigning ignorance?"

"B-But-!"

"Daddy, do something!" Trucy pleaded.

"Clearly, it could only be the third possibility that's true. That's all, your honor."

"Indeed. I believe I've heard all I've needed to hear."

'Now I see...Ema wasn't kidding. He IS good! He already explained three possibilities in detail before I could even finish talking about one!'

"Your Honor, please wait a moment!" Phoenix yelled.

"Yes, Mr. Wright? Another thought?"

"I would like to explain a motive for the second scenario Prosecutor Hawthorne laid out."

"Oh, go on. I would very much like to hear this." Ethan said sarcastically.

"If you remember, in this situation, we assume that this paper belonged to Fred Lyman, and he was the one that was supposed to carry out the crime. Prosecutor Hawthorne asked me to prove a motive for why a man like him who loves his sister more than anything, would want to kill her boyfriend."

"Yes, that's right."

"Wouldn't he carry it out for the sake of saving Anna from Louis? He is abusive, after all."

"Oh! That is true! Prosecutor Hawthorne, what do you think?"

"I have two things to say. First, if he wanted to stop Louis, there are other ways besides murder. Why wouldn't he just call the police and have them take care of it?"

"Well, that would be because of Jake Thompson, of course. If he had called the police, he was in danger himself."

"Yes, that would make sense. But ask yourself this, Mr. Wright. Do you know for sure that Fred was aware that Louis was abusive?"

"Wh-What…?"

"Fred may care for Anna a great deal, but remember that he's often working, and she's often out with Louis. Meaning that they may not know much about each other's personal lives. For all we know, the only thing Fred Lyman knows about Louis is that he's dating Anna!"

"Gh-!"

"Your Honor, I believe I've reached my Closing Argument. Mr. Wright may come up with all of these ideas, and sure, they may be possible, but as far as I can see, he has no evidence to back up any of these claims. All we know for certain about this case is what the evidence tells us: someone was tasked with killing Louis Gramarica that night by Jake Thompson. He died from 3 stab wounds by this knife, one to the back, one to the neck, and one to the head. And the only fingerprints on this knife are that of the defendant and her brother. And as her brother has previously stated multiple times, by the time he arrived at the scene, the murder was already carried out, and Anna was holding the bloodied knife. The only reason his fingerprints are on it is because he tried to take it from her to calm her down, to which she did not comply. If you look at these, you can see clearly that the only one who was capable of doing it was Anna Lyman."

"Yes, I can see that clearly. Are you sure you don't want me to suspend the trial for another day, though? Investigate some more?"

"I don't believe there is any need. There was only one area to investigate, and we've already taken all of the evidence from there. I see no need to continue."

"Very well then."

"J-Just one moment Your Honor! I would like to bring Anna Lyman to the stand as a witness!"

"Mr. Wright, I'm afraid I must decline." the judge shook his head. "Prosecutor Hawthorne made a very convincing closing argument, and I'm afraid that he's right: you can't bluff your way out of this one, you don't have any evidence to prove your claims."

"B-But Your Honor…! Jake Thompson is the one behind the murder! He's the one who made it premeditated-!"

"Phoenix Wright." Ethan said sternly, making an eery silence in the court.

"...Did you know that when you get nervous, you constantly clench and unclench your fists?" he asked rhetorically.

"...Wh-What…?"

"Jake Thompson will be taken in for questioning at a later date. But despite the fact that he wrote the message, that doesn't change anything about the culprit. The one who killed Louis Gramarica was Anna Lyman. You've lost this case." His eyes slowly opened, but they weren't his usual gray-green color. They were blood red. Trucy gasped.

"Th-That's Apollo's…" she whispered.

"This court finds the defendant, Anna Lyman...Guilty."

 **End.**


	4. Ryuu and Jacob

**Thank you guys so much for the support for this story! As a matter of fact, Ethan's ability to perceive will be answered in this chapter. The Ryuunosuke story might begin as well. I also decided to change the time period. Consider this story takes place at the end of Dual Destinies. In addition, I'm choosing objection and pursuit themes for Iris, Ethan, Jacob, Ludwig, and Barok from various Pokemon OST. It closely matches the style of Ace Attorney music. Enjoy!**

 **Songs**

 **Barok's Entrance and Opening Statement: Barok van Zieks Theme [Dai Gyakuten Saiban OST] (Obviously, what else? Lol)**

 **Cross-Examination: The Great Courtroom Lobby [Dai Gyakuten Saiban OST]**

 **No Head Chef: Objection [Dai Gyakuten Saiban OST]**

 **John's Testimony & Cross-Examination: Announce the Truth [Dual Destinies OST]**

 **No Gunshot: Pursuit [Dai Gyakuten Saiban OST]**

 **Silencer: Vs. Archie/Maxie [Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire OST]**

 **Why Shoot Him?: Suspense Theme 1 [Dai Gyakuten Saiban OST]**

 **Ryuu unlocks Perceive: Surging Eyes [Apollo Justice OST]**

 **Perceiving: Cross Examination~Allegro 2007 [Apollo Justice OST]**

 **Accusing Heminger: Suspense Theme 2 [Dai Gyakuten Saiban OST]**

 **Perceiving the Promotion: Confess the Truth [Dai Gyakuten Saiban OST]**

 **John's Breakdown: Pursuit~Cornered (English Court Suite) [Professor Layton vs. Ace Attorney OST]**

 **Aftermath of the Trial: Drew Studio [Apollo Justice OST]**

"I can't believe it…" Phoenix held his head in his hands.

"Daddy…" Trucy said sadly.

"Losing the case means that Anna will get sentenced to death for a crime that she didn't commit." They heard a knock on the door. Apollo answered it.

"Iris? What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I need to speak with Feenie."

"I'm not really in the mood right now…" he mumbled. She looked at him sadly.

"She's not going to be executed yet, you know."

"Huh?"

"My brother's out looking for more evidence right now. He doesn't believe that she did it either." This cheered him up a bit.

"So...what is it?"

"It's...a private matter. I'd prefer it if we were alone."

"...Alright." He stood up and grabbed his jacket.

"But daddy, I want to come with you and mommy!" Trucy whined.

"E-Excuse me?" Iris said, shocked.

"T-TRUCY!" Phoenix screamed. She giggled once again.

"Let's just go." Phoenix took Iris' hand and hurried out of the office.

"What was that about?" she asked, laughing softly.

"Sorry about that...Trucy keeps pressuring me to start dating again so that she'll have someone she can call a mother. And she thinks that you're the best candidate."

"How adorable." she blushed. "But...she doesn't know about Thalassa?" Once again, Phoenix was confused as to how Iris knew about these things.

"Iris, how…?"

"This is why we needed to talk. The way things are looking now, this case is going to have another trial, and you're going to face my brother again. We need to prepare you."

"Prepare me?" She nodded.

"He wasn't serious in this trial. He only used his perceive ability in the last moments. But, with all the other cases he's been asked to do, he wanted to postpone this one for a few months. So, in that time, we have to get you ready, and give you the same knowledge that he has." They started walking to Iris' house.

"I've been meaning to ask you…" Phoenix began.

"Yes?"

"Forgive me for saying this, but you seem much more mature than seven years ago. What's up with that?"

"Oh, no it's fine. I don't blame you for thinking that. When I was little, I didn't get out much. I didn't have any spiritual powers, so my father often shunned me, and my step-mother didn't care much, as I was adopted into her family. Be that as it may, they still didn't want me to venture outside for fear of me getting hurt. So I was stuck inside. The only one who ever truly cared for me was my step-brother, who actually treated me like family. He was studying law at his school, and he would often let me study with him. I dreamed I could be a lawyer like him. But that dream didn't last, as my father sent me away to Hazakura temple. He saw no use for me, so he got rid of me. Sister Bikini took me in and I was raised as a nun. But, despite the fact that I was now in the outside world, we were still isolated from civilization. Even when you defended me in Mystic Misty's murder trial, I probably still seemed timid, didn't I?"

"Y-Yeah…" he muttered, feeling bad about bringing the subject up.

"Well, when I was released from prison, Ethan was there to pick me up. He asked me to come be his assistant and study law over in England. I accepted, and I studied to become a Prosecutor, like him."

"How much practice do you have?" She presented a Prosecutor's badge to him.

"I've done some cases before, but I wouldn't be as good as someone like Franziska or Mr. Edgeworth." She shoved her hands in her coat pockets and looked up at the sky.

"But in any case, I suppose I gained a lot more confidence in myself and I've matured."

"Yeah. I like it."

 **X**

"Behold." She gestured to the four paintings in the main foyer as they walked into her home.

"Aren't those…?" Phoenix looked at the paintings. He recognized three of them.

"Ryunosuke Naruhodou. Jacob Hawthorne. Ludwig von Karma. Barok van Zieks. The four men who revolutionized the modern legal system." Iris said.

"Revolutionized…?"

"That's right. Your 2x Great Grandfather, Ethan's Great Grandfather, Franziska's Great Grandfather, and the mentor of the von Karma family. Thanks to your ancestor, the courts became much more insightful into the cases they worked through. It was a much more simple time 130 years ago, and the concept of a defense attorney was relatively new, so when a prosecutor presented decisive evidence and a straightforward case, the court didn't question it all that much, and the prosecutor often got their guilty verdict."

"Until Grandpa Ryu came along, I'm guessing…?"

"That's right." She now led him through the den, with leather sofas, a fireplace, and various old photos and paintings lining the walls.

"Have you ever read the Sherlock Holmes novels?"

"Once you eliminate the impossible, what remains must be the truth."

"Very impressive, you've done some of your homework already. In that case, because you have one of his portraits, I assume Franziska told you that Mr. Naruhodou was a friend of Mr. Holmes and helped out in his investigations?"

"Yes."

"She's half right. The good detective's deductions were often...false. In reality, your ancestor was the genius behind him, solving the cases and defending his clients in court."

"When were these taken?" Phoenix asked, looking at two portraits. One was Ryu with a stern-looking friend when he was noticeably younger, maybe college age. And the second he was older, maybe mid 40s, standing with Ethan's ancestor.

"1899, and 1920...he looks really different in the span of just 21 years."

"Well, Mr. Naruhodou was not studying law at first. He was an English Major, and his friend was a Defense Attorney. Kazuma Asogi. That's him in that picture. Mr. Naruhodou defended himself in court for a crime that he was wrongly accused of, and proved himself innocent. Mr. Asogi was convinced that he was born to be an attorney, and snuck him along on an exchange trip he was taking to London. Unfortunately, Mr. Asogi's life was lost while on their ship due to unfortunate circumstances, where Mr. Naruhodou had to once again prove his innocence and help find the real culprit. Unwilling to let Asogi's spirit die, Mr. Naruhodou inherited his katana, and also decided to study law as a favor to his friend, learning from his legal assistant and future wife, Susato Mikotoba."

"So then I take it that when he first started defending, he was nervous, like the rest of us. And he gained confidence as he continued."

"Yes, that's exactly it. He trained his mind and body extensively as he got older, becoming a Defense Attorney that was unfazed by anything thrown his way. The ultimate lawyer. And then, one day, he unlocked a certain ability."

"...And what might that have been?"

"The ability to 'perceive' the subtle motions and mannerisms of others. Through sheer willpower, and thanks to the mental training he went through, his eyes changed color to red, and he could see if his witnesses 'tense up' when they gave testimony. When he became more experienced, he opened up a law office alongside Ms. Susato in London. And one day, he had to defend a certain someone in court."

 **X**

 **Naruhodo Law Office, London, England**

 **February 23, 1919**

 **2:00 P.M.**

"Ryuu-chan, we have a letter request." Susato said, handing him an envelope. Since living in London, she changed her outfit considerably. Instead of her traditional kimono and hairstyle, she now sported a fashion statement more accustomed to the 1920s as opposed to Japan's Meiji Period. She wore a long blue dress, short white jacket, and a long red fur coat over it when she went out. She had also grown her hair out, and left it down. It was now slightly longer than shoulder length, and the end hung down her shoulder and onto her chest, where the end was curled. Ryuu had made a lot of money as a lawyer, with people now respecting his legal prowess, and he often saved some of their earnings to spoil her with fancy things. He wore the same thing he wore as a university student, a black military-style uniform with gold buttons, just an adult size, and with a black cloak over it. He didn't think the suit and tie thing was for him. He always carried Karuma at his side. He opened the letter and read through it.

"What does it say?"

"It's from the Police Department. Apparently, there's someone on trial for murder, and he doesn't have anyone to represent him as his attorney, so they're assigning me."

"That's great! You'll prove another man innocent!"

"I hope so. When we first started out, every trial was nerve-wracking. For both of us, I might add."

"But now we're much more experienced. I know you'll do fine."

 **X**

"Excuse me...sir?" Ryuu walked into the visiting room of the detention center. He sat down at a table across from his client. Susato sat next to him.

"So you're my lawyer, then?" he asked.

"Ryuunosuke Naruhodou. It's a pleasure."

"Oh, so you're that famous attorney from Japan, are you? Lucky me."

"You mean the police didn't tell you who your lawyer was going to be?"

"Nope. Total surprise." he smirked, leaning back in his chair. "Jacob Hawthorne."

"Susato Mikotoba." Susato introduced herself.

"So, about this case. What are the details?" Ryuu asked.

"Oh, yeah, that'd be good to know, huh? Alright. It happened about a week ago now, at work."

"Where do you work?" 

"At a newspaper publisher. It's not a very high-class job, but it pays well enough. Anyways, we were on break for lunch, so a few friends and I went out to a diner a few doors down. While we were waiting for our food, myself and one of my friends went to the bathroom. I finished first, so I washed my hands and left. My friend, Robert Williams, was still in there after waiting for him for 10 minutes back at our table. So I got up to check on him. But when I entered, he was face down, bleeding on the floor. He had a bullet hole through his chest, and a few stab wounds on his front when I turned him over. Obviously, everyone thought I did it, because I was the only one with him. But I didn't. And that's where you come in, right? To figure out who really did it?"

"Not always. But I suppose, this time it is. Thank you. I'll be back later."

 **X**

 **Diner #1, London, England**

 **February 23, 1919**

 **2:40 P.M.**

"This place is closed off to the public right now." Susato noticed, seeing the place guarded by police.

"Halt! What are you two doing here? Can't you see this place is closed? A murder occurred here!"

"We know. We're here to investigate." Ryuu said.

"You don't look like Detective Holmes or Ms. Watson to me."

"No, but we're friends of theirs."

"What's your name?"

"Ryuunosuke Naruhodou and Susato Mikotoba."

"Oh, you guys are the defense attorneys then?"

"That would be us."

"Go on in, I guess. But you'll have a tough time on this case. Especially since Prosecutor Van Zieks is on it."

"Oh great…" Ryuu sweatdropped. They walked in. There wasn't anyone inside at the moment.

"Makes things easier for us." Susato walked around. There was a line of white tape stretching across the length of one of the booths.

"This must be where they sat." Ryuu said, looking under the table and on top of it. "But there's nothing here." They continued walking towards the bathrooms. They split up into the men's and women's.

"Yeah, it looks like there's been a pool of blood here, but it was cleaned up." He walked over to the stalls and examined them.

"Hmm...all of the locks work...except for this one on the end." He walked in, and closed the door, turning the lock. But when he tried to open the door again, it opened like normal; the lock didn't work, and didn't make any noise.

"Hm...interesting. If someone was hiding in here, this would be the only place they could be. All of the other stalls make noise when they unlock, but with this one, someone at the sinks would be none the wiser if this door opened. And there's also an air duct exit above this stall, big enough for a person to crawl through." They looked around the bathroom for other evidence, but there wasn't any. They left and went back out to the restaurant.

"Wait a minute. Something about this doesn't seem right."

"What about it doesn't?" Susato asked.

"The fact that there's almost no evidence anywhere. This murder took place at a diner, an extremely public place, and in the bathroom specifically, where the floors are sparkling white. Yet there's no evidence so far. All we have to go on so far is our client's recollection of the events, and the fact that the lock is broken on one of the bathroom doors. It's unnatural."

"Do you want to ask the police about it?" He shook his head.

"They won't help. After all, the police are on the Prosecution's side, they'll think it's a good thing if we have no evidence to present."

"I think I know why there's no evidence. This happened a week ago, right? The Prosecution has probably collected all of the evidence by now. We were only put on the case because our client doesn't have a lawyer and we were assigned to him last minute."

"Well in that case, we might as well just show up to the trial tomorrow and hope for the best. We're not going to find much else."

"Of course." She leaned on him before they went back to the Detention Center.

 **Detention Center, Visitor's Room**

 **February 23, 1919**

 **4:00 P.M.**

"Jacob."

"That's me." He looked and saw the two walk towards him.

"Ah! You two rays of sunshine are back! What'd you find out?" He put his feet up on the table and leaned back in his chair with his hands behind his head.

"You won't like this, but...not much. The police assigned us on this case rather late, so we couldn't find much evidence."

"Oh, is that so? Well, I'm sure you'll be fine tomorrow. You're the legendary Ryuunosuke after all."

"...Can I ask you something?"

"What?"

"Why are you being so casual about all of this? You're on trial for a murder you didn't commit, and we just told you that we don't have much evidence to help you. Shouldn't you be a little more concerned about all this?" He was silent for a minute before leaning forward and smiling.

"If I was worried all the time, it wouldn't do me any good. You have to stay positive, you know. Especially in your line of work. After all, if you lose a case, your client gets a punishment, and in a murder trial, they'd get sentenced to either life in prison or get the death penalty if the crime was heinous enough. Am I saying you shouldn't be nervous ever? No, of course not. But it's when a lawyer is in his toughest spots that he has to smile the most."

"!"

"I trust you, Ryuu. I know you'll get me a Not Guilty verdict. Good luck tomorrow." The security guards escorted him back to his cell. Ryuu was stunned for a moment before getting up and leaving the room. He stepped outside to where Susato was.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"Yeah….Yeah, I am! I'm ready for tomorrow! Let's go!" He took her arm and they went home.

 **High Court of Justice, King's Bench Division, Courtroom #3**

 **February 24, 1919**

 **11:00 A.M.**

 **[A/N: British Parliament put in effect the Supreme Court of Judicature Act 1873 in, well, 1873. It pretty much abolished the previous Judiciary system and put a more modern one in place, which is still in effect today. All Criminal Cases now went to the High Court of Justice, which consisted of three divisions: The Queen's or King's Bench, depending on the current ruling monarch, which at this time was King George V. It has two roles: it hears contract law and personal injury/general negligence cases, but also acts as a supervisory court. The second one is the Chancery Division, which deals with business law, trusts law, probate law, insolvency, and land law cases. And finally, there's the Family Division, which deals with personal matters like divorce, probate, and medical treatment. If a civil case from High Court requests an appeal, it is heard by the Court of Appeals, whereas if it's an appeal for a criminal case, it goes directly to the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom. This is also true for if it becomes a much more serious and in-depth case.]**

The Judge went and took his seat. Ryuu and Susato did the same on the Defense's side of the room, and Prosecutor van Zieks took his place at his own stand. But this time, he was not alone. He had someone with him. He was younger, perhaps Jacob's age, around his early 20s.

"Prosecutor van Zieks, um...who...is that with you?"

"Ah. This is my new protege, Ludwig von Karma. I hope you don't mind if he listens in on the trial."

"...Well, normally we don't allow that, but I suppose I can make an exception this time."

"Thank you, Your Honor." Ludwig said, bowing. He had light brown hair that was slicked back and slightly spiked on the end (like Manfred). He wore a tan vest and dark blue suit. Barok wore his usual military style uniform, white cravat, and black cape donned over it. He still had a sword strapped to his side, and had already poured himself a glass of red wine.

"Are you both prepared?" the Judge asked.

"Yes."

"Not really, no."

"Then are you sure you want to move on with this case, Mr. Naruhodou? If you're not ready for it…"

"Don't worry about me, Your Honor. I'll manage."

"...Well, alright then. Prosecutor Van Zieks, your opening statement."

"Very well." He stepped forward and addressed the court. "One week ago today, a murder occurred in Diner #1, here in London. The defendant, Jacob Hawthorne, went out to lunch with a few friends while he was on break from work. While there, he and the victim went to use the restroom. The defendant claims he walked out and waited with his other friends for the victim, Robert Williams. 10 minutes later, when the victim hadn't yet appeared, he went to go check on him, discovering the victim's body in the restroom. Since it's been confirmed by the Head Chef himself that no one else entered or exited the bathroom in those ten minutes, the Prosecution proposes that the only one that could have murdered the victim was the defendant, Jacob Hawthorne. That's all, Your Honor." He walked back to his desk.

"Very well. Lord van Zieks, you may call your first witness."

"The Prosecution calls the detective investigating this case, Sherlock Holmes."

….

"Indeed, I am THAT Sherlock Holmes!" he announced to the court.

'Oh boy, here we go again.' Ryuu and Susato thought at the same time.

"Detective, I'm not in the mood to hear your happy-go-lucky rants about yourself and your novels, so I'd like you to just get straight to the point and testify." Barok said coldly.

"Are you sure? You don't want to know even a little bit about my new upcoming adventure? It's not even published yet!" The Death God reached for his sword and put his chalice down, clearly angry.

"Eep! I understand, I understand! I'll get right to it!"

 **Witness Testimony**

" **Indeed, the Head Chef stated that no one else entered or exited during those ten minutes!"**

" **Because of that, the only one who could possibly kill the victim was the defendant!"**

"That was a pretty short testimony. How are you going to get anywhere with nothing to question?" Susato whispered.

"I already have two things I want to ask about. Those two statements Mr. Holmes just made is what the Prosecution keeps claiming, making it the entire basis for their whole argument. If I'm able to shatter those two statements, I should take the lead."

"Alright. If you say so."

"Go ahead, Mr. Naruhodou. You may Cross-Examine the witness at this time." the Judge said.

"Alright then, let's begin Mr. Holmes. I need to know two things. First of all, is there an Autopsy report on the victim? I have yet to see how he died."

"Oh, yes, that. Right there." van Zieks pointed to the evidence table where a manila envelope was sitting. Ryuu picked it up and undid the string closure. He looked over the paper, repeating the words.

"Stabbed by a knife through his throat, and another gunshot wound through his chest. Was stabbed first. Time of Death: 12:30 P.M." He looked down and was silent for a moment.

"Something wrong with the report?" Holmes asked.

"I'll get to that. My second question is probably the most important one. Why would you leave the Head Chef with the responsibility of keeping track of who goes in and out of the bathroom?"

"W-What?" the detective started sweating.

"I'm saying that shouldn't the Head Chef be in the kitchen, cooking, where he's supposed to be? He must be pretty irresponsible to hang around in the diner and watch who goes in and out of there!"

"Gah!"

"Objection! Perhaps it wasn't a very busy day and he didn't need to help the other staff with making the dishes!"

"Objection! Mr. Hawthorne, was the diner crowded when you ate there?"

"It was lunch time, of course it was." he shrugged.

"Why you…" van Zieks slammed his desk with his fist.

"I'm only saying the truth." Jacob grinned.

"So, was the Head Chef around?" Ryuu asked.

"No, no one in a chef's uniform was there. There was no one watching the bathroom."

"What?!" both van Zieks and the Judge said at the same time.

"At least there was no one on the restaurant staff that was watching." he said.

"Wait a minute...what?" Ryuu turned back around.

"I sat facing the bathroom door, so I had a clear view, and I often checked to see if Rob was coming out anytime soon. No one else went in or out in those ten minutes." He crossed his arms.

"...Your Honor, the defense would like to call Jacob Hawthorne as a witness."

"Objection! He wasn't scheduled to testify today!"

"Mr. Naruhodou, what is the reason for this?"

"I believe there are too many unanswered questions about this case, and as such our most reliable witness should be someone who was actually at the scene when the murder occurred."

"Unlucky for you, I've already prepared one such witness. And unlike Mr. Hawthorne, he won't be biased towards his acquittal."

"I'm not biased!"

"Shut up! The Prosecution calls one of the defendant's friends, John Heminger, to the witness stand."

…

"Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?"

"Yes."

"Mr. Heminger, your testimony please."

 **Witness Testimony**

" **It was 12:30 P.M., and Jacob, myself, and two others who we work with, were getting lunch."**

" **One of these other two was the victim, Robert Williams."**

" **He and Jacob went to the bathroom while we were waiting for our food."**

" **A few minutes later, Jacob came out. Robert was still in there."**

" **Another few minutes later, Jacob went to check on him before he called for help."**

" **There was no one who went in or out during that period, and there was also no noise or sign of a struggle."**

'There was no noise? That's interesting. I have something that begs to differ.'

"Before we begin the Cross-Examination, I wanted to know which side of the booth you were sitting on at the scene?" the Judge asked.

"The side facing the door, next to Jacob. I also had a clear view of the door."

"Alright then. Mr. Naruhodou, if you would."

"Mr. Heminger, are you aware of how the victim died?"

"No, I'm not."

"He was stabbed in the throat and then shot in the chest."

"How terrible."

"Indeed. You mentioned at the end of your testimony that there was no loud noise or signs of a struggle."

"Yes?"

"But that presents a glaring contradiction so obvious that everyone here should be able to see it easily. According to the Autopsy Report, the victim was shot with a gun, after they got stabbed with a knife. If Mr. Heminger is really telling the truth, then the defense believes that there wasn't a gunshot!"

"Objection!" This time van Zieks slammed his leg on the stand. "That's outrageous. The Autopsy Report is official, and it clearly says that there was a gunshot wound!"

"Then why did nobody hear the shot? Even in a crowded restaurant, a gunshot is easily loud enough to be heard by everybody. If you claim that there was really a gunshot, how do you explain the noise?"

"A suppressor. Besides, there was gunshot residue found on the bullet hole. Mr. Williams was shot point blank." He crossed his arms, smirking. **[A/N: Suppressors/silencers were invented by Hiram Percy Maxim in 1902, and patented in 1909, so they existed at this point.]**

"Damn…" Ryuu gritted his teeth.

"Mr. Naruhodou, I would remind you that if you have a point to make, that it's well thought out." the Judge said.

"Y-Yes, Your Honor. In that case, I would like to think differently about this point. Instead of asking 'was there a gunshot', perhaps we should be asking 'why there was a gunshot'."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that if the victim was stabbed in the throat, shouldn't that cause instantaneous death, or at least death very quickly after being stabbed? After all, there would almost be no way to breathe, and the victim wouldn't be able to call for help, considering his vocal chords would have been severed. So why would the killer even need to shoot the victim?"

"I don't believe the 'why' is relevant here. The fact is that the killer decided to shoot the victim, perhaps just to be safe." Barok said, pouring another glass of wine.

"To be safe? I just discussed how the victim would be either dead or too injured to do anything after being stabbed! Remember, he was stabbed in the throat!"

"And, suppose that Mr. Williams did survive for a few brief moments. Even if he couldn't speak, he would still make gurgling and choking noises due to his injuries. If he continued to make those sounds, someone would hear it and go to investigate. The killer used the gun to silence him for good. Therefore, no suspicion would be cast on the restroom." He closed his eyes and sipped his drink. Ryuu was losing his footing on this case, and fast.

'Think! What else could I use?!' Suddenly, time seemed to slow down around him. His head throbbed a few times.

'Ugh...what...is this?' He put his hand on his head.

"Mr. Naruhodou, are you feeling alright? Do we need to take a short recess?" the Judge asked.

"Ryuu?" Susato asked, worried.

"I…I'm fine...Better than ever, in fact." he smirked, his eyes glowing bright red.

"Well...if you're sure…"

"Your Honor, I'd like Mr. Heminger's last few statements to be added to the record. I believe there's some important testimony in there."

"Very well. Continue."

" **I had a clear view of the restroom door from where I was sitting."**

" **I was not aware of how the victim died."**

" **Once again, no one heard a gunshot."**

'What kind of ability is this? My senses are heightened! It's like I can perceive the emotions and subtle movements of the witness! This will really help, I could see if he's nervous about any of the statements! Let's do this!' Ryuu increased his sight even further on the second statement. When he said the words 'not aware', he rubbed his neck, which was sweating a little bit.

"Mr. Heminger, do you think it's hot in here?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"When you stated that you were not aware of how the victim died, you were sweating a little bit, and rubbing your neck."

"W-Was I?"

"You were. Is there anything else you'd like to share with us, that you didn't mention previously?"

"N-No, there's nothing. Besides, do you have any evidence that I'm hiding something?"

"Well, no. It's more of a hunch. But perhaps I could prove that you were not as unassuming that day as you've been saying. If you remember, you said that you sat next to the defendant, meaning that you also had a clear view of the bathroom door. I believe the fact that nobody else was in the bathroom, multiple people have made a point of that."

"Then what are you proposing?" Barok asked.

"The defense still believes that the defendant did not murder the victim. After all, Mr. Williams was still alive when Mr. Hawthorne left, and didn't go back in there until 10 minutes later."

"Objection! What if the defendant used poison to kill the victim?!"

"Objection! Prosecutor van Zieks, you're just acting desperate now. The Autopsy Report very clearly stated that the victim was killed by a knife stab and a gunshot wound, of which you yourself proved the possibility of a suppressor."

"Grr.."

"Allow me to continue. When investigating the bathroom at the diner, the furthermost stall happened to have a large air vent above it. The killer could have entered and exited again through this vent. It is big enough for someone to crawl through, and short enough that they can reach it again without having to jump up. I believe that whoever the killer is used this method to enter the place. Also, the lock on the stall he would drop down into had its lock broken. The lock made no noise whatsoever, so Mr. Williams would not know if someone was there."

"Fine, but how would the killer know when to be there?"

"I believe that Mr. Heminger was in contact with him."

"Objection! Mr. Naruhodou, you can't accuse the witness like that unless you actually have proof!"

"I'm afraid you won't find much proof anywhere. The killer was skilled and didn't leave any traces. I suppose you could search for fingerprints on the stall door and the air vent, but it will take a while to identify them, given that it's a pretty new process. But in any case, I believe that I can get information out of Mr. Heminger. I'd like him to testify about his relationship with Mr. Williams at work."

"Mr. Heminger, do as he says. But be warned, Mr. Naruhodou, if this doesn't lead anywhere, I'll deliver my verdict, no questions asked."

"Understood."

 **Witness Testimony**

" **I get along with most of my employees at work just fine."**

" **Robert and I were close friends, otherwise we wouldn't be going out for lunch now, would we?"**

" **What reason would there be for me to hire someone to kill him?"**

" **Besides, how would the killer even know when or where to be?"**

"You may begin, Mr. Naruhodou, but remember what I said." Ryuu nodded.

"Mr. Heminger, you asked how the killer would know when or where to be? That would be obvious, you would tell him beforehand."

"Wh-Why you…!"

"The other thing is that you said you get along with most of your employees at work. Does that mean that there are a special few that get on your nerves?"

"W-Well, I...No! I just said it without thinking! I get along with all of them!"

"Mr. Heminger, you're sweating again." he smirked.

"Objection! Mr. Naruhodou is badgering the witness with these questions!" van Zieks said angrily.

"Overruled. I said I'm allowing it." the Judge used his gavel.

"Mr. Heminger, please revise your testimony. I want to know specifically about your relationship with Mr. Williams."

 **Witness Testimony**

" **There's nothing wrong with our friendship, I swear!"**

" **The other day, I even congratulated him on a promotion that was supposed to go to me!"**

" **See, I'm a good sport!"**

Ryuu's eyes began pulsing again on the second statement.

'Got you.' He enhanced his sight on his words. His eye twitched and his palm was sweaty on the word 'congratulated.'

"Mr. Heminger, are you sure you congratulated him on this promotion?"

"Why do you ask?!" He was clearly annoyed now from all of the questions.

"Your eye was twitching and your palm was sweating when you said 'congratulated.' You were also rubbing the back of your neck again. To have two different nervous habits at the same time must mean you really don't like the thought of congratulating the victim a whole lot."

"You damn brat…!"

"Mr. Heminger, it's time for the truth. All of it." Ryuu unsheathed Karuma slowly and pointed it right at him. He stepped back, afraid.

"Demon...What are you…?" Ryuu looked truly intimidating with the unsheathed blade and his blood red eyes.

"Say it. What are you hiding?!"

"Ggh...GRAAAAHHHHHHHH! ALRIGHT FINE! You got me! I'd been working so hard to earn a promotion that the boss promised us! But when I made a few small typing errors on one of the daily papers, he cut me out of the deal and gave the promotion to Robert instead! It made me furious! He stole the promotion that I deserved!"

"Heh. The Defense rests its case, Your Honor." Ryuu smirked confidently, his eyes going back to normal, and sheathing his sword. He went back to his stand.

…..

"Lord van Zieks, what happened to the witness?"

"He's been arrested, Your Honor. The Police are interrogating him about the Killer's identity."

"Understood. Mr. Naruhodou, like you said, you managed. Quite incredibly, I might add. It's amazing that you got Mr. Heminger to confess without any actual proof."

"Thank you, Your Honor."

"Well then, here's the final verdict. This court finds the defendant, Jacob Hawthorne, Not Guilty!" Everyone cheered.

 **Naruhodou Law Offices**

 **London, England**

 **February 24, 1919**

 **3:00 A.M.**

"Ryuu, how on earth did you do that?!" Susato almost screamed, hugging him tightly.

"I don't know. It just sort of happened." He changed his eye color again and showed her.

"I feel stronger and more perceptive when I do this. I could just see the nervous habits of him while he was testifying."

"Your eyes changed color. They're bright red!" she gasped.

"Yeah, I noticed when I looked in the mirror after the trial." Just then, they heard a knock on the door. Susato answered it.

"Oh, Mr. Hawthorne! What are you doing here?"

"Hey! Can I come in?" he smirked.

"Yeah." He walked into the office.

"Nice place. I wanted to thank you for helping prove me innocent, Ryuu."

"It's no problem. We were handed a case, and we took it. As simple as that."

"I want to find a way to repay you, and I think I have it. It will benefit the both of us."

"What is it?"

"I want you to become my mentor, and train me to be a defense attorney. Then, I'll work for you at the office."

"What?! But what about-"

"I quit my job this afternoon, so you can't refuse. From what I can see, the only ones working here are you two lovebirds. Wouldn't it be nice to have another set of hands here, so you don't have to take on every single case you come across?"

"Well, now that you mention it-"

"See, it helps us both! And besides, I want to learn how to do that change eye color thing too!"

"I don't know if I can actually teach you that, but…"

"Come on, boss. Just say yes already!"

"...Alright. Yeah, sure, you're hired! Welcome to the team, Jacob!"

"Great! You won't regret it!"

 **End.**

 **Long chapter, hope you liked it. Yes, I plan to match up various characters for the prosecution and defense. This one was Ryuu and Barok. The next one will probably be Jacob vs. Ludwig. And I intend to have Iris prosecute a case against either Phoenix, Apollo, or Athena as well. Let me know what you think!**


	5. Jacob and the Gramaryes

**Songs**

 **Cross-Examination: Mood Matrix ~ Commence the Psychological Analysis! (Dual Destinies OST)**

 **Means, Motive, and Opportunity: The Great Courtroom Lobby (Dai Gyakuten Saiban OST)**

 **Figuring out the Murder Weapon: The Core (Dai Gyakuten Saiban OST)**

 **Club Stolen: Giovanni's Theme (Pokemon ORAS Remix done by Giradialkia) [Jacob's Objection Theme]**

 **Walter Hastings Testimony: Elegy of the Captured (Trials & Tribulations OST)**

 **Cross-Examining Hastings: Simon Blackquill-Distorted Swordsmanship (Dual Destinies OST)**

 **Cornering Hastings: Trainer Red Epic Remix (DJTheFishhead) [Jacob's Pursuit Theme]**

 **Wright Anything Agency**

 **June 14**

 **12:00 P.M.**

The doorbell rang at the agency.

"Boss, we have a visitor!" Athena called out.

"Yeah, I know! I'll get it!" He called out. Phoenix came out of the other room wearing something she, Apollo, and Trucy did not expect: casual clothing. They only ever saw him either in his trademark blue suit or the baggy sweatshirt and sweatpants he wore during his disbarment.

Phoenix had on gray and blue sneakers, tan shorts, a plain white t shirt, and a short sleeve blue plaid shirt over it. He opened the door, revealing Iris, who like him, was not wearing her usual legal outfit. Instead, she had on tan and white sandals, black leggings, and a lavender blouse. She smiled at him.

"Ready?"

"Of course." He stepped outside.

"You both have the day off?" Apollo asked.

"Yeah. I'll be back tomorrow. It's date night." He closed the door and walked down the steps with Iris.

"Date night?!" Apollo yelled. Athena and Trucy squealed with excitement.

"Is he actually dating her again?!" Athena asked.

"I don't know! I mean, he's been going out with her every so often, but he never specifically said the word 'date' before!" They were jumping up and down while Apollo just sighed.

 **Main Street**

 **12:30 P.M.**

"So how has work been?" Phoenix asked. He bought the two of them ice cream, and they were enjoying it on the way to Iris' house.

"Busy, actually. In these past few months, I've had to take on 5 different cases."

"And?"

"Every one of them won." she smirked.

"Heh. Well done."

"Thanks. Actually, I was officially hired by the Prosecutor's Office last week. So, that means that I'm working here now, instead of London."

"You're not going back?"

"Not in the next year, at least. I'm working cases here, for now. How about you? How are things with your two apprentices?"

"After the last case I took, Athena is doing better, knowing the truth about her mother. Apollo's...well, he's talking to us and everything, but he hasn't been wanting to work. He's in a tough spot, his best friend was the victim. I think he feels like he doesn't really have anyone to lean on. Despite the fact that we're trying to help him."

"What about Trucy?"

"As much as it might help him to know, I'm not entirely sure that it's the right time. It might make him even more distant."

"I understand. But I feel like he should know soon. In any case, are you ready to hear more about our families' fate?"

"Sure. Picking up where we left off?"

"Slightly later than that. It's been a few years now since Jacob's joined Ryuu…"

 **Naruhodou & Co. Law Offices**

 **London, England**

 **September 15, 1923**

 **11 A.M.**

Jacob sighed, leaning back in his chair. He had to take care of the office today since Ryuu and Susato were off dealing with their own case. Jacob was now a certified Defense Attorney, and like his mentor, he didn't wear a suit either. He wore a casual white shirt and a long black trench coat over it, along with dark gray pants. He then heard a knock at the door.

"Yes? Can I help you?" He opened it to find a man who looked like a magician and a young girl with him.

"The Naruhodou & Co. Law Offices, correct?"

"Yep. You saw the sign outside?"

"Yes. There's something I could use some help with."

"Come in then. Sit down." He opened the door and the two came in and took a seat in front of Jacob's desk. Jacob took his seat.

"So, what's your names?"

"I'm Feliciano Gramarye. This is my daughter Gabriella."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Jacob Hawthorne. I work here as an assistant to Mr. Naruhodou. So what did you need help with?"

"The thing is, my wife is being put on trial."

"For?"

"Murder."

"Of course." Jacob sighed.

"My wife, Rosalia, was with a friend the other night, visiting the Natural History Museum, when the curator was discovered dead. Since they were the ones closest to the scene, and also because they discovered it, they were considered prime suspects."

"I see. Do you have either an autopsy report or a case summary?"

"No, I'm afraid you'll need to get those from the police."

"It's fine. I'll be heading out to the Detention Center now if you want to come along."

"Already?"

"I have no other cases right now, so why not? Let's go."

 **Detention Center, Visitor's Room**

 **12 PM**

"Ms. Gramarye?" Jacob sat down across from Rosalia.

"Yes?"

"Your husband asked me to be your lawyer, and I said yes. So I'm here to ask what happened and find out a little more about you."

"Oh, thank you!"

"So what happened?"

"My friend and I went to the Museum of Natural History the other night. It was pretty quiet, and while we were there, we met the museum's curator, along with a security guard who was following him. We talked for a few minutes, and they seemed nice. Then we left and continued browsing the displays. Later on, when we were leaving, we came across the curator's body. Since my friend and I were the only ones around, we got blamed for the crime."

"That's it? That's why they arrested you?"

"Yes...It doesn't really make sense, does it?"

"No. Don't worry though, I'll take care of everything."

 **Museum of Natural History of London**

 **1:30 PM**

"Ah! Welcome to the Museum of Natural History! Can I help you with anything today?" the girl at the front desk asked.

"Yeah. Do you know anything about the murder that occurred here the other night?"

"Oh! That...I'm afraid that we're trying to keep that quiet, so if you could whisper?"

"Oh. Sure. Do you know anything about it though? I'm the defense attorney for the trial."

"Personally, I don't know anything. But the area that it occurred in is roped off to the rest of the visitors, and there are a few policemen keeping watch. I believe Detective Sherlock Holmes is there investigating as well."

"Oh great! I know Detective Holmes. Do you think you could show me where that area is?"

"Right over there, down the hall and to the left." Jacob walked down and came into a large circular room. The left half of the room was roped off, and there was a body outline behind one of the columns.

"Detective Holmes." Sherlock turned around.

"Ah, Mr. Hawthorne."

"You're on another case."

"Yes, I'm afraid I am."

"Shouldn't you be thinking about retiring soon?" he whispered. "I mean, you're 57…"

"As much as I'd like to start thinking about it soon, I'm not so sure the city would comply. I'm a world class detective, they want someone like me to live forever. Besides, it's somewhat of a personal agenda as well. I enjoy investigating these kinds of crimes because I want to discover the truth."

"But that's what I'm for." he smirked.

"Your job is to defend a client in court."

"And to discover the truth."

"But what if the truth was exactly what you didn't believe? That your client was guilty?"

"Then so be it. But the rule of the modern legal system is that the defendant is innocent until proven guilty."

"But the opposite could also be true: the defendant is guilty until proven innocent."

"And that's exactly where I come in. I win in both scenarios, because you can bet I won't let my client be sentenced."

"...You sure have a way with words, don't you, Mr. Hawthorne?"

"It's my job." he shrugged.

"Very well. The victim's name is George Fenske. He was killed by a blunt object to the head. Here's the autopsy report."

"He was struck five times...but the murder weapon is still unknown?"

"That's correct. The killer took it with them and didn't dispose of it in any garbage cans or dumpsters near here. They probably still have it."

"I see. Well that will certainly make this case harder."

"Yes, I'm sorry about that. Other than that, there were two witnesses. Jack Smith, the security guard that night, and a frequent donor to the museum: Walter Hastings."

"A donor was here?"

"Yes, apparently he was checking up on one of the exhibits that he donated a few weeks ago."

"Are they both in the city still?"

"Yes, both of them. They're supposed to be testifying in court tomorrow."

"Hmph. I suppose I won't be able to get much out of them today then, will I?"

"You can try, but I doubt it."

"Alright then. By the way, what's the time of death?"

"8 PM."

"Great. Thanks. I'll be heading out now." He left and went to question the security guard in the office at the museum.

 **Security Guard's Office**

 **2:00 PM**

"Mr. Smith?" Jacob knocked on the door.

"Ah, come in."

"Mr. Smith, my name is Jacob Hawthorne. I'm the Defense Attorney on the case for the murder that happened here."

"Ah, welcome Mr. Hawthorne. Enjoying the museum so far?"

"Yes sir. I came here all the time when I was younger. Unfortunately, I've been somewhat preoccupied lately, what with studying under my mentor for the new job."

"Yes, I heard about that. You're working under the legendary Ryuunosuke Naruhodou, right?"

"That's right. I used to be only a newspaper publisher. But after I met him, I convinced him to take me on as an apprentice."

"That's wonderful. It must be exciting, proving your clients innocent."

"It's also nerve-wracking."

"I'm sure." he laughed. "Now then, I assume you wanted to know about the murder?"

"Yes. Any information you have will help."

"I don't believe that your clients did it."

"You don't?" That was a surprise. Someone was on his side for once.

"No. Who arrests two suspects simply because of the fact that they were nearby to the scene of the crime? This legal system needs to be changed."

"Hm...So what were you doing when the murder happened?"

"I was the one assigned to show our donor around."

"Yes, about that. Detective Holmes said that he was here to 'check up' on an exhibit?"

"Yes, it sounds rather strange, doesn't it? But he's a very important man, and takes his position rather seriously."

"Important man? What's his position?"

"He serves as an advisor to our Prime Minister."

"Truly? I don't think I'll be able to question him today then."

"No, probably not. He probably won't let you into his house."

"In any case, is there anything else you'd like to tell me?"

"No, I'm afraid that's all I know."

"Thank you then. I'll see you in court tomorrow."

 **High Court of Justice, King's Bench Division, Courtroom #2**

 **16 September 1923**

 **11 AM**

"Mr. Hawthorne, welcome." the Judge said.

"Thank you, Your Honor." he acknowledged, walking up to his stand.

'Come to think of it, I never did ask Mr. Holmes who the Prosecutor was for this case.'

"Mr. von Karma, welcome to you as well."

"Thank you, Your Honor." Ludwig walked up to the Prosecutor's Bench.

'That guy...he's Prosecutor van Zieks' student, right? He was there during my trial.'

"Prosecutor von Karma, would you like to give an opening statement?"

"Of course, Your Honor. Three nights ago, the defendant was with a friend, visiting the Museum of Natural History. While they were there, the museum's curator was murdered. When the body was discovered, the defendant was nearby, and was presumed to be the only one who could have committed the crime."

"Objection! You can't charge the defendant with murder simply because they were near the scene of the crime!"

"Objection! You can't object during an opening statement!" Ludwig countered.

"Order! Mr. Hawthorne! Please refrain from objecting until the prosecutor is finished making his opening statement!"

"Y-Yes, Your Honor."

"It's alright, Your Honor. I was finished anyways. I would like to call the first witness, Security Guard Jack Smith."

 **X**

"Mr. Smith, please testify to the court about what you were doing on the night of the crime."

"Mr. Smith, what's that red stain on your club?" Jacob asked.

"Oh, this? They were painting the walls in one of the hallways. On my way to the restroom, a small amount got on my club when I brushed past it."

"...I see. Continue."

 **Witness Testimony**

" **The Other Night, Mr. Hastings visited the museum."**

" **I was asked to show him to the area where one of his donations would be put on display."**

" **Once we got there, I left to go to the bathroom."**

" **When I returned, Mr. Hastings was still there, waiting for me."**

" **On our way out, we saw the body and the two girls nearby."**

" **I had no choice but to name them the prime suspects."**

"Mr. Hawthorne, you may begin your Cross-Examination."

"Very well. This is pretty straightforward. Mr. Smith, from what I can tell, you have almost nothing to do with this case, if what you just said is the truth. May I ask how long you were in the bathroom for?"

"Only 3 minutes."

"And how long does it take to get from there back to the hallway where Mr. Hastings was?"

"2."

"Because you were in the bathroom, that means that the murder occurred in the 5 minutes that you weren't there. I don't believe that this murder was spur of the moment. There's one simple fact that supports this."

"What are you getting at?" Ludwig asked.

"If Mr. Hastings had attacked the curator on impulse, he most likely would have fled the scene out of fear of being caught, especially with such a small timeframe. The fact that he returned to where he was previously means that he thought of this in advance. It's premeditated."

"Objection! You're still assuming that Mr. Hastings was the real culprit! What about Ms. Gramarye, or Mr. Smith?!"

"Objection! The possibility of Ms. Gramarye committing the murder is a very small percentage, Mr. von Karma. The only reason that she's under suspicion is because that she happened to be the nearest to the scene of the crime. Besides, why would she murder the curator when she was just there on a visit? And why would Mr. Smith kill his own boss?!"

"Disgruntled worker? Isn't that what happened in your case 4 years ago?"

"What would he be disgruntled about? Enlighten me."

"Well, Security Guards are not paid very much. Perhaps it was a problem regarding his salary?"

"How much are you paid?" Jacob asked, turning to Jack.

"20 cents an hour." he smirked confidently. [ **A/N: In 1938, FDR set the first minimum wage at 25 cents/hour. Jack would get paid a lot for his profession, meaning he's either a good security guard, or works at a high-class establishment. Probably both in this case.]**

"You still want to debate the salary issue?" Jacob closed his eyes.

"Damn…" Ludwig began sweating, obviously losing his first argument against the attorney.

"A murder relies on Means, Motive, and Opportunity."

"I'm sorry...Means, Motive, and...Opportunity? What does that mean?" the Judge asked.

"Every crime has a means: how they committed the crime; a Motive: why they committed the crime; and an Opportunity: when were they able to commit the crime? Currently, we only know one of these: the Opportunity. The murder had to occur in those five minutes that Mr. Smith was gone. And while we know that the curator was killed by a blunt object, we still don't have the exact weapon yet. In addition, we also don't know why the killer committed the crime."

"So we need to find those out before the end of the trial?" Ludwig asked.

"That's right. Now, let's think about it. First of all, let's think of who's involved in this murder. We have the victim, George Fenske, our Museum Curator. We have our suspect, Rosalia Gramarye. We have the Security Guard active that night, Jack Smith. And we also have Walter Hastings, our Donor. Let's first focus on Opportunity, which is what we know. If we think of every possibility, we can't rule anyone out."

"And why's that?" the Judge asked.

"I can explain. I think I've caught on to what Mr. Hawthorne's breaking down. If we assume that the murder did indeed take place in those five minutes, then everyone's a suspect. Mr. Fenske could have committed suicide, Mr. Smith could have lied about going to the restroom, Ms. Gramarye could have killed him like she's accused of, or Mr. Hastings could have killed him like Mr. Hawthorne has already explained."

"That's right. But when we look at the facts, we can see that we can rule someone out already: Ms. Gramarye. She was searched on the way into the museum, so she wouldn't be able to carry anything lethal on her."

"Ah!" The Judge, Ludwig, and everyone on the Jury finally realized their mistake.

"Now that the suspect is out of the question, let's get to who really killed Mr. Fenske. Since we already focused on Opportunity, let's move on to Motive. If Mr. Fenske did indeed commit suicide, he had some sort of self motive. If Mr. Hastings killed him, he also had a yet unknown motive. Now for Mr. Smith. He had no personal motive against Mr. Fenske, considering that he liked his job, and was well compensated for it. That rules him out as well. That means that it has to be either Mr. Fenske who killed himself, or Mr. Hastings who did it. Lastly, we move on to the Means. One is the Museum Curator, and the other is a frequent donor and honored guest. As such, they don't have to go through normal security procedures when they go there. They would have access to a weapon."

"So they would be able to conceal a gun?"

"Yes. But if we remember what the Autopsy Report said, the murder was carried out with a blunt weapon. So, they wouldn't have pulled it off with a gun or a knife. It would have to be something more like a club. Something like that." Jacob pointed to Jack's Police Club.

"I thought you just said I was innocent!" Jack's jaw dropped, shouting angrily.

"I did. But your weapon may not be. May I see it?"

"Huh? Oh, sure." He took it off his belt, and handed it to Jacob.

"If you all remember, I took notice of this red stain almost immediately, at the start of the trial."

"Yes, and Mr. Smith said that it was most likely the red paint that they were using to paint the hallway to the restrooms. This matches up with his testimony quite well."

"That's correct. But I don't think it's paint. I think it's blood. Mr. Fenske's, to be exact."

"But then that means that Mr. Smith would be the one who committed the crime!" the Judge exclaimed.

"No, it wouldn't!" Jacob said, exasperated. How much explaining could it possibly take to get them on board? He thought that his point was pretty obvious.

"I'm getting at the fact that the murderer stole his club and used it as a murder weapon!"

"!" Everyone stepped back, shocked.

"What, that didn't occur to you? My own trial wasn't that different. John Heminger was the one who hired the assassin, but he wasn't the one who actually committed the murder."

"Wait a minute...then that means…" Ludwig growled.

"That's right." Jacob opened his eyes. "That if the murder weapon was stolen, that means that Mr. Fenske wouldn't be able to commit suicide."

"Objection! He could have gotten one from the Security Guard Office!" Ludwig smiled once again.

"Objection! It's highly unlikely. I visited the museum yesterday and went to the Security Guard Office from the scene of the crime. It takes 5 minutes just to get there, and then 5 more minutes to get back."

"Objection! What if he ran there?"

"What?"

"Let's assume that he ran there, making it take half the time. That's 2 ½ minutes to get to the office, and another 2 ½ to get back to where the murder occurred. There's your five minutes."

"That's not right either." Jack said.

"What?!" Ludwig yelled.

"And why not?" Jacob asked.

"To get to the office from the scene of the crime, he'd have to pass through the hallway that Mr. Hastings and myself were in."

"The murder occurred in the 5 minutes that you weren't there. And it takes 3 minutes to walk back to where you were. That's 8."

"The hallway we were in is a halfway point from the scene to the office. And we left as soon as I got back."

"So then it would take 2.5 to get there from the scene."

"All these calculations are making my head hurt." the Judge said plainly.

"Mine too, Your Honor. I promise it will be over shortly." Jacob replied. "So then, let's put everything together. Mr. Smith left for the bathroom. It takes 3 minutes to get there, and he was in for 2. That's 5 minutes. And then another 3 to get back to where he was. That's 8 minutes total. Mr. Smith and Mr. Hastings left for the scene as soon as he got back, which took 2.5 minutes. That's 10 ½ minutes total. The murder occurred in the first five minutes, when Mr. Smith went to the bathroom. In those five minutes, Mr. Fenske would get to the office, and then spend the next five minutes going back to the scene. But if that was the case, then Mr. Hastings would have crossed paths with him on his way back. If Mr. Hastings wasn't the one that killed him, he probably would have taken note of the club he was holding, and wondered why he took it from the office. It's hard to conceal as well, being pretty large."

"Hehe…"

"Something you want to mention, Prosecutor von Karma?"

"Don't you remember what I said before? What if he ran? He ran to the office and back, 5 minutes. And then if Mr. Hastings ran after him, that's 2.5 minutes, and then another 2.5 back to where he was. That leaves half a minute left."

"That wouldn't work, like I said before. Remember that it only took Mr. Smith 8 minutes to get to the bathroom and back. And what you're proposing would have this whole thing take 10. When Mr. Smith returned, he clearly stated that Mr. Hastings had not left his spot. Therefore, your theory is implausible."

"Grrrr…"

"Your Honor, this trial is beginning to get too complicated for me. I say we wrap this up and bring Mr. Hastings forward as a witness."

"Very well. Bailiff, please get the witness."

 **X**

"Mr. Hastings, Mr. Hawthorne has implicated you as the murderer in this case."

"Has he now?" he shot an angry glare towards Jacob.

"Would you be willing to testify about the events that took place the night of the incident?"

"Of course. I'll tell you all that I know."

 **Witness Testimony**

" **Mr. Fenske called me earlier that day, and asked that I come to the museum that night."**

" **It was in regard to one of my exhibits that I had donated previously."**

" **I arrived at the museum at the designated time, and the security guards welcomed me with open arms."**

" **Mr. Smith, one of them, was assigned to escort me to the exhibit in question while Mr. Fenske was finishing some work for the night."**

" **We arrived at the exhibit before Mr. Smith said that he needed to go to the restroom."**

" **He left and came back a few minutes later, before we went to meet with Mr. Fenske."**

" **But he was dead when we found him. Ms. Gramarye was nearby, and she was named the prime suspect."**

"Mr. Hawthorne, did that testimony clear up some misunderstandings?" the Judge asked.

"Not right away, but it definitely helped me think of a few questions."

"Very well then. Your Cross-Examination."

"Mr. Hastings, one of your statements in particular may have turned against you. I had previously suggested to the court that because you were an honored guest of the museum, that you did not have to go through normal security. Am I correct in assuming that?"

"You are not."

"I thought so-...I'm sorry, can you repeat that?"

"I did have to go through a security pat down, like any normal person. The only ones exempt from it are museum staff."

"Damn it…" Jacob bit his lip.

"Hmph." Ludwig crossed his arms and smiled confidently.

"Well then, I'll move on to some other questions. You mentioned that Ms. Gramarye was closeby to the crime."

"Yes, that's the whole foundation of this trial."

"Did you know who she was before now?"

"No. I was informed of her name from the police. They let me know that there would be a trial and asked if I'd be willing to testify."

"I see…"

'Damn it, there goes my second hope on this case. I hope the last one will lead somewhere.'

"I have one more question. You said that you were called to the museum because of one of your previous exhibits. Can you go into more detail about that?"

"Yes. One of my previous exhibits had not been getting as much attention as some of the other ones, and so Mr. Fenske intended to take it down and replace it with a new one instead."

'Bingo.' Jacob grinned. He could hear Walter's voice falter a bit when he said "not as much attention."

"Mr. Hawthorne, your eyes are red." Ludwig pointed out.

"Huh? Are they?"

'It seems that he possesses the same ability that his mentor does.' Ludwig thought to himself.

"You don't smoke, do you, Mr. Hawthorne?" the Judge asked.

"No. Don't worry about my eye color, I can deal with that after. Now then, you just told me all that I needed Mr. Hastings. Your voice grew slightly more aggressive when you said that your exhibit wasn't doing so well. After all, isn't it a business failure on your part when something you donated to the museum has to be taken down?"

He gritted his teeth.

"You can't hide anything from me, Mr. Hastings. My eyes see everything." A trail of red energy came from his eyes and a gust of wind blew through the courtroom.

"The Means, Motive, and Opportunity are all falling into place now. You were called to the museum where you found out from Jack that Mr. Fenske, a long time friend of yours, wanted to replace one of your donations, causing you to lose a lot of money. At the same time, he wasn't around, which gave you a better opportunity to commit the crime. Jack said he needed to use the restroom, and as you knew from visiting frequently, you were aware that the hallway was being painted a dark red, a similar color to blood. Jack let down his guard, and you could steal his club and use it as the weapon. He'd be none the wiser, and he would assume it was wet paint when he inspected his club. So when he left, you quickly and subtly stole his club and as soon as he was out of sight, you hurried down to the main corridor, a halfway point between the curator's office and your location. You ran into George Fenske, and proceeded to strike him in the head five times, killing him. You then presumably wiped the club off with a cloth of some kind so that the weapon wouldn't leave a trail of blood as you returned to the exhibit. You concealed the club until Mr. Smith returned a few minutes later, and once again, put it back in his belt when he wasn't looking. You then went on your way to see Mr. Fenske before Ms. Gramarye screamed, alerting the other guards to the crime. But no one would suspect you, would they?" he pointed at Walter, gritting his teeth angrily while his eyes glowed brighter than ever.

"You...bastard...GRAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHAAAAAAAHAHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!" He shook violently, while foaming at the mouth.

"I win." Jacob said, closing his eyes.

 **X**

"Your Honor, Mr. Hastings has...confessed to the crime." Ludwig said, looking off to the side, clearly disappointed that he lost this case to his rival.

"Well done, Mr. Hawthorne. You have quite the deductive mind, don't you?"

"It's part of the job." he shrugged.

"In any case, there's no longer any doubt whatsoever. Rosalia Gramarye, you are found innocent of all charges against you!" he slammed his gavel down while everyone cheered and started talking in a celebratory manner.

"Come on, Ms. Gramarye. Let's get you back to your husband." He offered her his arm, which she gladly took and walked with him out into the lobby.

 **X**

"Thank you so much, Mr. Hawthorne." Both Rosalia and Feliciano said, bowing to him in respect.

"Don't mention it, it's what I do."

"We'll be back tomorrow to pay you."

"Thanks. Oh, Ryuu. You're back." Ryuu and Susato opened the door just then and came walking in.

"Hey. How'd the case go?"

"Won. Easy."

"I expected nothing less from you."

"Oh, that's right. You had red eyes in court. What was that about?" Rosalia asked.

"You can perceive as well?" Ryuu asked in surprise. They decided to refer to the ability as perceiving.

"I guess so. I didn't really feel any different, just that my senses were heightened."

"Then I suppose it's something that anyone could achieve, if they worked hard enough at it. After all, you had no prior law training before I hired you, but now you can perform the same ability four years later, while I've been defending clients for 23 years now, and only just unlocked the ability four years ago."

"Perhaps. How did your case go?"

"Won. Easy."

"I'd expect nothing less from you." The scene replayed itself as everyone laughed. The Gramaryes said goodbye before leaving the agency.

 **Hawthorne Mansion**

 **4:30 P.M.**

"And that was his first case. Jacob would go on to train Gabriella Gramarye, the daughter, how to perceive. She would then teach her future son, Magnifi, and it remained in the family, through Thalassa, and onto Apollo and Trucy. It would also remain in the Hawthorne line, which explains why my brother can use it. It may take me longer to obtain it, due to being sheltered for most of my life. Not to mention I didn't have any spiritual power, so I couldn't use Magatama. But after studying, my mental capacity and physical limits have improved, so I'm on the right track." Iris explained, swirling a glass of wine around, the two sitting next to each other on the leather couch in the den.

"So that's why...So then, considering everything, the ability to perceive didn't start with Magnifi, it started with my ancestor."

"That's right. Ryunosuke never did pass the ability down to his children, but following his logic, anyone who attunes their senses to a high level should be able to. Considering everything you've been through your life, and that you're a direct descendant, you shouldn't be far away from getting it yourself, should you choose to do so."

"Hmm...I don't know if I want to. As much as I don't want to see my clients convicted, I do like a challenge in court. And I think I'd get the best one yet going against your brother, much greater than Edgeworth, as tough as he is."

"Heehee. You haven't changed a bit. I figured you'd answer like that." She laid her head against him as they continued to sit in silence, and in love, for the next few hours.

 **End.**

 **I don't think I'm going to give Phoenix the ability to perceive in his final trial against Ethan. But like I said, anyone could have access to it, it's just easier for some to achieve considering their lineage and experiences. Let me know what your thoughts are. Sorry for taking so long with this chapter, I've been focusing on Empress of Alvarez a lot, and dealing with some stuff up at school. I do plan to get back into this, though. It's not as if it's cancelled.**


End file.
